Corn-harvester.



CORN HARVESTER.

APPucAtlou mm JAN. 19. 1911.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

IN VEN TUE Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

;V'VENT'UR H. J. HAHN. CORN HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED .JAN. 19, 1911'.

H. 1; HAHN.

CORN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 19, IBM.

Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

#1. HAHN.'

com: HARVESTE R. APPLICATION FILEDJAN. 19, I917.

Patented 28,1917.

SHEET 4'.

INVENTUF? QW;@ZM

HERMAN J. HAHN, or NAroLEoN, onto.

conN-HAavEsrEB.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 28, 191?.

Application filed January 19,1917. Serial No. 143,278.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, HERMAN J. HAHN, V

a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Napoleon, in the county of Henry and Stateof Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Corn-Harvester; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appei'tains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v r

' My invention relates to corn harvesters. It particularly relates to means for removing the ears of corn from stalks while the stalks remain standing in the field. v p

It provides means for holding the stalks in a vertical position while the harvester is moved along the rows of stalks and the ears are being removed from the stalks. It also provides means for picking the stalks up that'are bent down, and means is also provided for raising them so that they will be placed in an upright position. It further provides 'means for cleaning the stalks into parts or sections to be subsequently bound by means of a binder, or plowed under; if desired. It also provides a means for removing the corn from'the stalkswhen the corn is pulled up by the operation of the machine. It also provides otlfe'r features which will appear in the drawings forming a part hereof and in the description of the construction shown in the drawings.

The invention may be contained in many forms of constructions usable for different purposes all of which come within'the purview of my claims hereinafter appended. To show the practicability of my invention I have selected one of such constructions as an example and shall describe it hereinafter.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top viewof the corn harvester. Fig. 2-is one side view of the harvester illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectidhal view partly broken showing the barrel for removing the stalks and for drawing the leaves of the stalks in an upright'prmition and along the stalks. Fig. 4 is another side View of the harvester. Fig. 5 illustrates the chain for holding the stalks in position While the harvester is moved relative to the stalks. Fig. 6 illustrates edge and side view of bars for. forcing the stalks that are pulled from the hills toward rollers for removing the corn from such stalks. Fig.

7 illustrates a top view of the means for picking up the stalks that have fallen down.

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the harvester. Fig. 9 is a view of the bars shown in Fig. 6 and the rollers for removing the cornv from the stalks which are not removed by the barrel illustrated in Fig. 3 and from stalks which are pulled up in the operation of the machine. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the rollers for pinching the corn from the stalks which are not removedb the barrel illustrated in Fig. 3, or which. are on stalks which. have been pulled up by the machine.

1 Fig. l, is a frame of the harvester. It

is supported on wheels 2 which are secured in position with reference to the frame by means of suitable bearings-3. The machine is guided bya tongue 4 and may be pulled by horses or by other sources ofpowe'r. The harvester may be operated byan engine which may be supported upon the frame 1 or. it may be operated by the sprocket orchain wheel 5 which is secured to the wheel 2, which carries the nia or' portion of the -weight of the harvester. The wheel 5 is connected by a suitable sprocket chain or gear chain to a wheel '6, which is keyed to a shaft '7. located in therear part of the frame 1.

The shaft 7 extends: transverse to the frame f .nd is connected by gear wheels or sprocket chains with various parts of the mechanism.

Asshown in Fig; 8,.the shaft 7 is supported in bearings 8 secured on the frame 1. It is provided with a bevel gear wheel "9 which operates on a bevel gear wheel 10.

inverted U-meinber 16 which is bolted to the frame 1., The upper end of the shaft 11 is provided with'a cog wheel 140 which operates on a cog wheel 17. The cog wheel 17 is keyed on ashaft 18 that is located in parallel. relation to the shaft 11. The shaft 18 is supported in a bearinglf) which is also formed in the bracket 15. The shaft 18 is also supported by an'end thrust-bearing formed by the plate 20 located on the frame 1 Fig. 4-. A plurality of sprocket wheels 21 and 22 is keyed to the shaft 18. The sprocket pivoted arm 42 which is connected by means BEST AVAlLABLE COP 1. The sprocketfchains 23 pass through openings 32 formed in the wall 28. The fingers 26 necessarily extend outwardly from the sprocket chains 23 and are carried by th'e'rotation of the shaft 18 along the wall 28. On the Side on whichthe wheels 24 and 25 are located they are carried forward, and on the opposite side of the wall they are carried rearward. The wheel 24is connected by means of a universal joint-33 to a shaft 36 which is also provided with sprocket wheels 37 and 38. The shaft 36 is supported in bearing 39 and in a bearing formed in the strip 30. The wheels 37 and 38 are'also connected by sprocket chains 23 havin fingers 26 to sprocket wheels -'LOa'nd 41 w iich are supported on bolts orsl afts, one of which is secured to the strip 29 and the other to a of the bolt 43 tothe' strip 30. The fingers 26 of the sprocket chain 23 connecting the wheels 37 and 40 and th wheels 3S and 41 likewise move forwardly on the side of the wall 23 on which the wheels are located and rein-weirdly on the opposite side of the wall. An opening 44; is provided in the vicinity of the wheel 37 for permitting the fingers 26 to pass from one side of the wall. to the other. Likewise an opening 4-5 is provided ity o the wheel 40. The chain 23 which connects the wheels 38 and 41, is located may be operated to move the lower end of the chain 23 and the fingers 26 transverse the wall 28. The wheel 1-1 is located beneath the lower corner elf-the wall 28 and very close to the ground, so as to pick up the corn that is bentdown by the wind or-from any other (M1158 and lift it intoposition so that it may be operated upon by the corn harvester. The arm 42 which carries the wheel 41 is swung to the side of the wall opposite that to which the wheels 10, 24 and 25 are located upon to cause the fingers 26 to not only engage the corn that is thus windblown, but also to hold the corn thus engaged. The corn stalks are merely engaged by the fingers and easily drop off the fingers unless the wheel lftogether with the lower end of the chain belt 23, is shi -ted so as to engage thecorn and hold it... The arm 42 is'lield in its normal position by means of a spring 46 winch is located intermediate the through the wall and is located in the vicin' wall 28 and an arm 47. The pivoted member is rabbeted in its upper edge and is covered with a strip of sheet metal 48. Thus a channel is formed intermediate the sheet metal 48 and the arm 42 in which the chain 23 moves. pin 50 which extends through the sheet metal 48 and is secured in the arm 42. The wire 51 passes over a pulley 52 which is secured to a top hoard The board 53 is separated from the strip 30 a short distance and is held in position by means of brackets A' cord or wire is secured to the.

54 which aresecured to the board and to the strip 30. The wire 51 extends to the top ofthe frame 31 and passes over the pins 55, 56" and 57, thence over a pin 58 (Fig. 1) to the lever 59 located'beside'the seat 60 and in position where it may be operated by the driver to swing the wheel 41 transverse the wall 28 to cause the fingers 26 to engage with the corn. The spring 46-operates to cause the return of the arm 42 to its normal position-when it is released by a movement of the lever The lower end of thewall '28 is provided with a nose 61 (Fig. 4) formed of sheet metal. It is pivfitally supported on the bracket 62 and to the board 53. The nose (i1 is connected to a rod 63 which is connected trinity at the seat 60. lVhen the wire 64 is ll .d l)y the operation of the lever 68 the n? pivot on its support so, 'as i to engagev the stalks of the corn. This is particularly useful whentlic harvester has been turned and isabo'ut'to be lined up with the llgills of cornthat is to. be harvested. The nose 61 directs the corn stalks to the face of the .wall 28 and so as to be engaged by. the fin- 'gers 26 ofthe chains 23.

turned by the spring 141.

A second wall (if) (Fig. 2) is located in parallel relation .with the wall 28. ,It is likewise. supported oh the frame. 1 and by a rear wall 13 which is. also secured to the v frame 1 and to the Umember 16shown in.

Fig. 8.

The shaft 11 is provided with a olw s swmi'g on its The nose 61 is rcbevel gear 70 which operates on a bevel.

gear 71.

shaft 72. The shatt has. a bcrring73 se- The bevel gear 71 is keyed to a cured to tl1e'wall l3 and also bearing 74 which is secured to a strip 75. located above the wall 69 and in the same planethercwith.

The strip 7 5 vis also provided with aniupper board 76 which is similar in form to the board 53 'of the wall 28. A sprocket wheel 77 is keyed to the shaft 7 2 and is connected wheel 78. The sprocket wheel 78 is supported on a shaft located in a bearing 79.

1'25 by'a chain 23 having fingers 26 to a sprocket wheel 81 by means or a chain 23 having the 'fingers 26. The chains 23 connected to the shaft 11 through the sprocket chains, the sh'aft72 andthe gear wheels 70 and 71 also move forward on theside of the wall 69 or strip 75 on which the shaft 72 is located, and rearwardly between the walls 69 and 28.

The wheel'81 (Fig. 7) is supported on a pivoted bar 82 which is secured-in position by a bolt 83, for pivotal movements relative to the strip 7f1 and the wall 69. The upper edge of the bar 82 is rabbeted in a similar ;way that the bar 42is rabbete d. The bar 82.

is also provided witha sheet metal strip or cover 84: which extends over the upper edge of the rabbetedportion of the bar and thus forms a channel or groove in which thechain 23 is located. -The bar 82 is moreover connected by a spring 85 to the cover board 76 to causejt he return of the bar 82 when it.

is moved-out'of itsnormal position The spring 85 isconnected to the cover board 76 by meansof apin 86. The bar 84 is moved inward with'respect to the two walls 28 and 69 by means ofa'wire 87 which moves over a pulley 88,which is secured to the cover 7 board 76. The wire v87 passes beneath the board 7 6,thence. upward through an opening in the cover board 76 to the .top of the frame 31, whence it is' connected tothewire 51 which is in turn connected to the lever 59 so that when the lever 59- is operated the wheels. 81 and 41 are moved inward with respect to the two walls and the fingers 26 close around-{the corn stalks and so as to lift the corn stalks from the ground. By this a-rran ement the corn stalks are'caught between ,t1'e fingers 26 .of the two chains which are supportedon the bars 42. and 82, and which are moved toward-each other in.

the same plane by movement of the lever 59.

K This prevents .the; corn from. slipping away from the harvester and being further pushed down as the harvester moves over the corn.

The (-o'rn is picked up until it is caught by the chain's andiilifted upward as the hill roster moves along.

Between the wall 69 and the strip 75 (Fig. 2) is located a roller 89 which is supported in a bracket 90 which is secured to the wall "39 and to the bracket 91'. which is secured to g the U-member :16. H is also provided with a cogwheel 92'which is operated upon by a cog whee-i9 3. The cog wheel 93 is connected to a shaft 94 which is supported in bearingsElfi secured to-the wall 69 and the strip 75! The shaft 94 is connected by a uni' versal joint 96 to a shaft 97 which is supported in bearings 98 secured to the wall 69. -The shaft 97 is provided with a sprocket wheel"99-which is connected to a sprocket wheel 100 by a sprocket chain. The sprocket wheel 100 is located on a shaft 101 which is supported-in a-beari ng102 on the frame 1 and extendsthrough an'opening in the wall 13. A bevel gear wheel 103 (Fig. 1) is keyed to the'shaft 101 and is. operated upon by a bevel gear wheel 104 which is keyed to the shaft 7. The shaft 7 .is driven by the sprocket wheel 5 and thus the roller 89 is rotated, it being connected through the shafts -94, 97, 101 and the sprocket wheels 99 a and 100, and the bevel gear wheels 103 and 1041 with the" shaft 7. The roller 89 is provided-with a thrust bearing 105 which is located intermediate the cog wheel 92 and Furthermore it operates to squeeze or drag off the ears of corn, it being located in close proximity to the wall 28. If any of the 0mm stalks are pulled up by the operation they are carried upward by the operation of the spiral 106. Also, the ears of corn, if rethe barrel 89, are carried up by the operation of the spiral to the upper part of the barrel 89, whence they may fall through the opening 107, whence they may be dropped into a v husker or caught by a suitable trough or other means in order to remove them from the harvester.

,If any of the corn is pulled from the 'moved from the husks by the lower endof' ground by'the operation of the harvester,

particularly by the operation of the spiral 106 located on the barrel 89, the corn will be-carricdupward to, the top of the barrel by the spiral 1.06, whereupon it' will be en-' gaged by bars 108 (Figs. 4 and 9)- which are located on sprocket chains 109 that move over sprocket wheels 110. One set of sprocket wheels 1-10 is supported on a shaft 111 which, is supported in bearings 112 that are secured to the wall 28. The chains and The other set of which is driven by the cog Wheel 17 and the shaft 11. The bars 108 are provided with re-turned lips 114: which are formed by bending rearwardly one of the edges of the angle bar of which the bars 108 are formed.

The bars 108 move forward on the'outside of thewall 28 and rearward on the inside of the wall. The turned portions ofthe lips 114 pass in the vicinity of a pair ofrollers 115. The rollers 115 are connectedto shafts 116 (Fig. 8) and 117 which are 'supported in bearings 118, one of which'is'suported on the bracket 91 andthe other ont c U-member 16. The shafts 116:3;I1d'117 are con- I bars pass throughan opening 113 which is formed in the wall 28. sprocket wheels 110 is keyed to the shaft 18,

nected together by cog wheels 119. A sprocket wheel 120 is connected to the shaft 116 and. by a sprocket chain 121 which'is connected to a sprocket wheel 122 located on the shaft 7, and thus the rollers 115 are rotated in opposite directions by the operation of the shaft 7, the sprocket chain 121v and the cog wheels 119. The rollers 115 are provided with means for pinching off, if necessary, the ears of corn. This is particularly useful where the ears cannot be readily pulled or pinched off by the operation of the barrel 89. When the ears of cd rn cling with sufiicient tenacity to the stalks the roller 89 will pull the stalks from the hill and carry the stalks, together with the ears of corn connected thereto, upward until the stalks and corn are engaged by the bars 108. They will be-engaged by the lower ends of the bars 108. particularly about the portions of the bars 108 at which the lips; 114 are located. The lips 114 passing in the vicinity of the ends of the rollers 115 force the stalks and corn in front of the rollers 115. The rollers 115 are disposed a short distance from each other and have some-play. so that the rollers tend to carry the stalks of corn rearwardly as well as the bars 108, and at the same time. the rollers tend to pinch the cars off from the stalks. If, however, the friction of the stalks with the rollersis not sufiiciently great to cause this pinching operation, the rollers are provided with means whereby the ends of the ears of corn will be actually inched or broken. The means consists o a flange 123, while one --r.oller 115 is provided with a channel 124-; The rollers 115 are so connected with the cog wheels 119 that'the flange 123 will enter or approach entrance to the channel 124. and thus the end of the car of corn which is connected to the stalk will ,be pinched or cut, off. The ear will fall forward onto the barrel 89, or will drop through the opening 107. to be removed with the other cars of corn which are taken from other stalks. .The rollers115 will pre- ,-vent--the ears of corn from beingcarried rearward.

I in a plate 127.

cutters. ltniay he provided with the cutter 125 which is supported in a bracket 126 and It is connected to a shaft which is keyed to the sprocket wheel 128.

The sprocket wheel 128 is driven by a sprocket wheel 22 which is locatedon the shaft 18. The cutter 125 operates to cut the stalks of corn, preferably about the beginning of thefirst-leavcs of the stalk. Other cutters 129 may be provided which are secured to the shaft 11 and in theirrotation cut the stalks at different points as the harvesters pass the stalks. The

harvester may also be provided with a cutter 130 which is supported on an L-member 131, which is secured t0 the tongue & and to the frame-1.

in proximity The blade 130 is located in .a diagonal position with respect to the direction of movement ofthe harvester and lies close to the ground. Consequently, when the harvester is drawn along the hills of corn, the stalks are cut close to leave a short stump. On the left side of the harvester a fender 133 is provided. It consists of a pair of arms which are secured to the frame 1 and to the bearing of the wheel 2, and protects the outer wheel 2 from contact with the corn. At any rate, it pushes the corn to one side to leave free movement of the harvester and to prevent the corn from being pushed down by the wheel 2 or its hub.

The front part of the harvester is rovided with a wheel 134 which is adjustab y bolted to the bracket 135 which is secured to the board 75 located within the plane of the wall 69 and to an extensionof the frame 1.

I claim:

1. In a corn harvester, the combination of a plurality of engaging members, means for moving the engaging members rearwardly as the corn harvester is moved forward, bars, means for moving the bars rearwardly relative to the harvester, a pair of rollers, located at right angles to the bars, the bars operating to push the corn stalks into the rollers, the rollers operating to force the ears. of corn from the stalks, and means for rotating the rollers in opposite directions.

2. Inacormharyester, the combination of a plurality Ofienga'ging members, means for moving theengaging. members rearwardly as the corn harvester moved forward, bars,

means for-moving the vertical bars rear- .wardly relative to the harvester,,the bars extending lips for engags, a pair of rollers located to each other and the lips of the bars, thabars operating to force the corn into the rollers, and means for rotating the rollers in'opposite directions.

3. In a coin harvester, the combination of a plurality of bars, means for moving the bars rearwardly relative to the harvester,

ing the corn sta ars, the bars having forwardly extended lips which pass beside the ends of the rollers, t-he'bars operatlng to force thecorn between a pair of rollers located at right angles to the The -;:oru harvester may be provided with b a pair of means for moving the bars rearwardly rela-' tive to the harvester, a pair ofrollers located at rig'htangles to the bars, one roller having a flange and the other roller having a channel, and means for causing the rollers to rotate in opposite directions and causing the flange and channel to intermittently register in the rotation of the rollers.

7. In a corn harvester, the combination of a plurality of vertically disposed bars,

means tor moving the bars rearWardly relative to the harvester, a pair of rollers located Hi the v cinity of the bars, the rollers having means for pinching the cars from the stalks of corn, the ends of the rollers 10- cated in the vicinity of the vertical bars, the axes of the rollers located substantially at right angles to the bars, and'means for causing the rollers to rotate in opposite directions.

8. In a corn harvester, the combination of a plurality of vertically disposed bars, means for moving the-bars rearWa-rd'ly relative to the harvester, a pair of rollers, the

axes of the rollers located at right angles to the bars, one rollcrhaving a flange and the other rollerhaving a channel, and means for causing the rollers to rotate in opposite directions and causing the flange, and channel to intermittently register in the rotation of the rollers.

9. In a corn harvester, the combination of a phuu-ility of engaging members, means for moving the engaging members rearwardly :as the corn harvester is moved forward, an

inclined rotatable barrel having a helicoidal metal strip on the surface of the barrel,

vertical bars located in proximity to the upper end of the barrel, means for moving the bars in the same direction that the engaging members are moved, the vertical bars having forwardly extending lips, rollers, the axes of the rollers located at right angles to, the bars, the ends of the rollers located in proximity to the lips, one roller having a flange, the other roller having a channel, and means for causing the rollers to rotate in opposite directions andthe" flange and channel to register intermittently.

10. In a corn harvester, the combination of two sets of engaging members, means for moving the engaging members rearwardly relative to the harvester, an inclined-barrel having a heli'coidal strip, means for causing the rotation of the roller, means for moving the engaging members of the two sets toward each other, a plurality of vertical bars located at the upper end of the-inclined barrel, and means for causing therollers to 1'0- tate in opposite directions, the vertical bars operating to push the corn to engaging position between the rollers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto igned my name to this specification.

HERMAN J. HAHN; 

